Gaddafi regime seeking an ‘end to the conflict’

Abdel Ati al-Obeidi, the first senior envoy sent from Libya by Colonel Gaddafi, met George Papandreou in Athens on Sunday night.

It is not yet known what the regime is proposing but some reports indicate Gaddafi’s son Saif is trying to broker a deal which would see him take control of a transition to a constitutional democracy.

“It seems that the Libyan authorities are seeking a solution,” Greek Foreign Minister Dimitris Droutsas said after the meeting, adding that Obeidi planned to travel to Malta and Turkey.

“There needs to be a serious effort for peace and stability in the region” he added

In a statement, the Greek foreign ministry said it was committed to seeking a “political, diplomatic solution” to the crisis in Libya.

On Friday Foreign Affairs Correspondent Jonathan Rugman spoke to Obeidi in Tripoli and was told that Gaddafi was trying to "talk to the British, the French and the Americans to stop the killing of people." Obeidi made no mention of Gaddafi stepping down but said the regime is seeking constitutional and democratic solutions.

“We reiterated the clear message from the international community: respect for and full implementation of UN resolutions, an immediate ceasefire to stop the violence, particularly against the civilian population of Libya.”

It seems that the Libyan authorities are seeking a solution, Greek Foreign Minister Dimitris Droutsas

Papandreou also discussed the Libyan crisis with Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the Turkish prime minister, on Sunday.

Papandreou has been talking by phone with the leaders of Qatar, Turkey and Britain over the last two days.

The news came as Scottish officials made a formal request to speak to Obeidi’s predecessor Moussa Koussa over their ongoing investigation into the Lockerbie bombing.

Channel 4 News special report- Libya war: strike against Gaddafi

On Sunday Foreign Secretary William Hague signalled that police would be allowed to interview Mr Kusa about Lockerbie and other historic crimes, saying: “We want more information about past events.”

He said: “The Crown Office in Scotland want to talk to him about what has happened in the past, such as Lockerbie. My officials are discussing with the Crown Office how to go about that.”

Koussa was a senior intelligence agent at the time of the 1988 bombing, before going onto head Gaddafi’s secret service from 1994. He was one of Gaddafi’s most trusted advisors until he defected to Britain last week via Tunisia.

There were rumours that Obeidi, who accompanied Koussa to Tunisia, was ready to defect. But the Greek authorities have confirmed they received Obeidi “at the request of the Libyan prime minister”, Al-Baghdadi Ali Al-Mahmudi.

Obeidi served as prime minister under Gaddafi in the late 1970s, before going on to head the General People’s Congress. His current role is minister of state for European affairs.

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At least two sons of Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi are proposing a transition to a constitutional democracy that would include their father’s removal from power, The New York Times reported.

Citing an unnamed diplomat and a Libyan official briefed on the plan, the newspaper said the transition would be headed by one of Gaddafi’s sons, Saif Gaddafi.

The report did not say if the Colonel backed the plan. But one person close to these sons said the father appeared willing to go along, the paper noted.

The two sons “want to move toward change for the country” without their father, The Times quoted one person close to the Saif and Saadi camp as saying.

“They have hit so many brick walls with the old guard, and if they have the go-ahead, they will bring the country up quickly.”

According to The New York Times, the idea may reflect longstanding differences among Gaddafi’s sons.

While Saif and Saadi have leaned toward Western-style economic and political openings, Colonel Gaddafi’s sons Khamis and Mutuassim are considered hard-liners, the paper said.

Khamis leads a pro-government militia, the report noted. And Mutuassim, a national security adviser, has been considered a rival to Saif in the competition to succeed their father.